Bishop Museum Announces June Debut of Planet Shark: Predator or Prey

May 9, 2016

Bishop Museum among first in the U.S. to host this amazing “out of water” shark experience

Honolulu, HI – Bishop Museum today announced that it will be one of the first museums in the U.S. to host Planet Shark: Predator or Prey, opening June 11-Sept. 5, 2016 for a limited engagement only. Bishop Museum audiences will be among the first to explore the most comprehensive and innovative “out of water” shark experience ever to tour the world.

Planet Shark: Predator or Prey allows visitors to leave the outside world behind as they enter the incredible underwater world of sharks. Visitors young and old will have the opportunity to trace millions of years of evolution, come face-to-face with the great white shark, learn the true impact of the shark fin trade and gain a whole new level of respect for the ocean’s oldest and most effective predator – all without even getting their feet wet.

“I’ve spent many hours diving around sharks in my research with the museum, and this exhibit does an excellent job of immersing audiences into their world,” said Richard Pyle, researcher & associate zoologist with Bishop Museum. “Not only will visitors learn about the anatomy and science behind sharks, but it’ll provide a ‘shark’s perspective’ that will really help people appreciate and respect these creatures and their ocean home.”

The creative team behind Planet Shark: Predator or Prey is Grande Exhibitions, an Australian-based producer of museum-quality exhibitions. This fascinating and engaging exhibition was produced with assistance from experts in the fields of sharks, aquariums and ocean cinematography. Produced on a size and scale never seen before, Planet Shark: Predator or Prey includes awe-inspiring shark models cast from real animals, an extraordinary collection of real teeth and jaws, and extremely rare fossils. Cutting-edge SENSORY4™ technology provides a walkthrough, multi-sensory, cinematic experience that provides deep immersion in the story of this magnificent yet sadly misunderstood animal.

Bishop Museum is excited to be one of the first museums in the U.S. to host this ground-breaking experience, and will have dedicated staff on-hand at designated times to answer questions and separate fact from fiction.

This ground-breaking exhibition could not have come at a better time. Years of fishing pressure and media misrepresentation have pushed the shark to the brink of extinction. Their last hope lies with public education and awareness – and the launch of Planet Shark: Predator or Prey is the vital first step.

This exhibit is generously sponsored by Pasha Hawaii.

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About Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum: The Bishop Museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in memory of his wife Bernice Pauahi Bishop, a royal descendant of King Kamehameha I. Bishop Museum is proud to be recognized as the principal museum of the Pacific, housing the world’s largest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific artifacts and natural history specimens. In total, Bishop Museum’s collections consist of more than 25 million items including over 22 million biological specimens and more than two million cultural artifacts derived from a legacy of research spanning more than 125 years. These collections also include more than 115,000 historical publications, one million historical photographs, films, works of art, audio recordings and manuscripts. More than 300,000 people visit the Museum each year, including over 40,000 schoolchildren. For more information, please visit www.bishopmuseum.org, follow @BishopMuseum on Twitter and Instagram, become a fan of Bishop Museum on Facebook, visit Bishop Museum’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/BishopMuseum, or call (808) 847-3511.